Buckle



(No Model.)

M. J. ROBINSON. BUCKLE.

i No. 432,147. Patented July 15, 1890.

vUNITED STATESV PATENT" OFFICE.

MAJOR J. ROBINSON, OF MARSHFIELD, VISCONSIN.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part Of Letters Patent No. 432,147, dated July 15, 1890.

Application tiled April 8, 1890. Serial No. 347,051. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MAJOR J. ROBINSON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Marshfield, in the county of lVood and State of Viscousin, have invented a new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention has relat-ion to buckles especially adapted for connecting the straps of shoes, though, as will hereinafter appear, the same may be applied to any two terminals of straps for Whatever purpose desired.

The object of the invention is to provide a a practically self-locking buckle and one in which the loose or free end of the strap does not require to be afterward tucked through a keeper or loop for the purpose of retaining the same in parallelism with the opposite strap.

Other minor objects of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a shoe provided with a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail, in transverse section, of the buckle and straps, the same being in a locked position. Fig. 3 is a similar View, the terminal of the straps being in the act of entering the buckle. Fig. 4. is a perspective, in detail, of the buckle. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the buckle plate or frame; Fig. 6, of the hingeplate; Fig. 7, of the tongue.

Like numerals of reference .indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 represents the rectangular open buckle frame or plate, one of the side bars of which is provided with an extension 2, longitudinally slotted, as at 3.

4: represents a hinge-plate, similar iu size to the buckle-plate, with the exception that it is not quite so wide, but terminates at its free end nearly opposite and but slightly overlapping the inner edge of the front longitudinal bar 5 of the frame. rlhe rear end of the hinge-plate is provided with a curved tongue G, which takes in to the slot F3 of the frame, and thereby constitutes a hinge-connection between the hingeeplatc and the frame. The front bar of the hinge-plate has an inwardly-projecting extension 7, between which and the end bars of said hinge-plate is formed spaces 8, occurring at each side of the extension. These spaces are spanned by bearing-bars 9, and upon the same are pivoted the terminals of the buckle clasp or tongue 10. The buckle clasp or tongue 10 comprises a loop 11, adapted to receive the strap, and the ends of the same are inwardly heut and rearwardly extended to form the terminals 12, which are bent over to form the pivotal connection between themselves and the bearing bars of the hinge-frame.

13 represents the stationary strap secured to the shoe 14, and the rear end of the same is looped somewhat snugly, as at 15, around the rear side bars of the buckle-f rame andthe hinge-frame.

17 represents the free or loose strap, which is inserted through the bottom of the base or buckle frame, around the front edge of the front bar of the hinge-frame, and through the clasp or tongue until the desired tension has been secured, the buckle then being in the open position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. After this the clasp is depressed so that its ends, which are somewhat resilient, take between the end bars of the hinge-frame,a1id the tension is slightly increased. The teusion of the straps serves to bind the parts compactly together, so that the connection is complete and the disposition of the free strap is such that the greater the tension the stronger the connection. The tension of the fixed strap against the inner side of the curved tongue of the hinged frame also tends to more firmly press thehinge-frame upon the buckleframe, and thereby aids in the locking of the buckie. The buckle when thus locked, it will be observedjsextremely fiat and proj ects very slightly from the shoe, and may be manufactured from light sheet metal at a very small cost, the parts being readily stamped and out by machinery and afterward assembled by ordinary hand tools.

To loosen the strap it is simply necessary to swing the clasp or tongue upon its pivot so that its loop 11 is in line, or nearly so, with the front edge of the front side bar of .the hinge-frame and the inner edge of the front IOO side bar of the buckle-frame, and in this manner it will be evident that the strap may be readily Withdrawn from the buckle.

Having thus described my invention, what 5 I claim is- 1. The herein-described buckle, consisting of arectangular open buckle-frame having a slot inlone of its side bars, a hin ge-franie having a tongue interlocking with the slot and provided at its opposite side with bearingbars, and a clasp having a strap-receivingloop pivoted upon the bars and adapted to fold upon the buckle-frame, substantially as specified.

2. The herein-described buckle, consisting' ofa rectangular open buckle-frame, one of the side bars of which is extended and provided with a longitudinal slot, ahinge-frame mounted on the buckle-frame and having one ot its side bars provided with a curved tongue interlocking with the Slot and the front edge ot its front bar arranged coincident with the inner edge of the front bar of the frame and in rear of its front bar having an extension or tongue forming` openings at each side thereof and spanned by bearing-bars, and the clasp comprising` the central loop having depending' ends rearwardly extended and bent over the bars, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAJOR J. ROBINSON. lVitnesses:

E. M. DEMING, H. B. HAYWooD. 

